COUPLING ASSEMBLY
A coupling assembly includes a hook, a base defining a base cavity, a link interconnecting the hook and the base, and a fastener movably coupled to the base. The fastener is movable relative to the base along an axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the fastener extends through the base cavity. In the unlocked position, the fastener is outside the base cavity. The coupling assembly further includes a casing fixed to the base such that the base remains stationary relative to the casing. The fastener is partially disposed within the casing. The coupling assembly also includes a biasing member operatively coupled between the casing and the fastener such that the biasing member biases the fastener toward the locked position.
Latest General Motors Patents:
The present disclosure relates to a coupling assembly for a pickup bed.
BACKGROUNDPickup trucks include a pickup bed capable of holding cargo. Some pickup beds also include at least one tie-down assembly for holding objects. In particular, straps or ropes can be tied to the tie-down assembly to restrain objects in the pickup bed. In addition, a beam may be coupled to the pickup bed to organize and separate cargo in the pickup bed. The beam should be secured to the pickup bed via, for example, the tie-down assembly. It is thus useful to develop a coupling assembly capable of coupling the beam to the tie-down assembly of a pickup bed.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure relates to a coupling assembly for coupling a beam to a tie-down assembly of a pickup bed. In an embodiment, the coupling assembly includes a hook, a base defining a base cavity, a link interconnecting the hook and the base, and a fastener movably coupled to the base. The fastener is movable relative to the base along an axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the fastener extends through the base cavity. In the unlocked position, the fastener is outside the base cavity. The coupling assembly further includes a casing fixed to the base such that the base remains stationary relative to the casing. The fastener is partially disposed within the casing. The coupling assembly also includes a biasing member operatively coupled between the casing and the fastener such that the biasing member biases the fastener toward the locked position.
The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle, such as a pickup truck. The vehicle includes a pickup bed including first and second sidewalls. Further, the vehicle includes a tie-down assembly coupled to the first or second sidewall. The tie-down assembly includes a loop. The loop defines an aperture. The vehicle further includes a coupling assembly as discussed above. The coupling assembly can couple a beam to the first or second sidewall of the pickup bed.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings in which like elements are identified with identical numerals throughout,
The vehicle 10 further includes at least one beam 28 coupled to at least one tie-down assembly 20 in a first or functional position. In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle 10 includes two beams 28 each extending from the first inner sidewall 16 to the second inner sidewall 18. Each beam 28 is coupled to one tie-down assembly 20 attached to the first inner sidewall 16 and another tie-down assembly 20 attached to the second inner sidewall 18. When coupled to the pickup bed 12 in the functional position, the beams 28 can help separate and organize cargo in the cargo compartment 14.
With reference to
As shown in
With reference to
The coupling assembly 32 additionally includes a link 46 coupled to the hook 34. Specifically, the link 46 is coupled to the hook base 42 and may be obliquely angled relative to the hook base 42. In the depicted embodiment, the link 46 defines a first link end 48 and a second link end 50 opposite the first link end 48. The second link end 50 is directly coupled to the hook base 42. In the depicted embodiment, the link 46 may be a bar or a rod wholly or partly made of a substantially rigid material such as a metal or metal alloy.
The coupling assembly 32 further includes a base 52 directly coupled to the first link end 48 of the link 46. Accordingly, the base 52 is coupled to the link 46. Further, the base 52 may be wholly or partly made of a substantially rigid material, such as a metal, and includes a first or top wall 56 and a second or bottom wall 58 opposite the first wall 56. The first and second walls 56, 58 may be substantially planar. In addition, the base 52 may include a third or “first lateral” wall 60 extending from the first wall 56 to the second wall 58. The third wall 60 may be substantially planar. Aside from the third wall 60, the base 52 includes a fourth wall 62 extending from the first wall 56 to the second wall 58. The fourth wall 62 is substantially curved (e.g., U-shaped) and may be directly coupled to the edges of the third wall 60.
With reference to
The coupling assembly 32 also includes a fastener 72 configured, shaped, and sized to be movably disposed in the first opening 66, second opening 68, and base cavity 64. As a non-limiting example, the fastener 72 may be a pin that extends along an axis Y (
Aside from the fastener 72, the coupling assembly 32 includes the casing 82, which is fixed to the base 52. Accordingly, the base 52 remains stationary relative to the casing 82. The fastener 72 is partially disposed within the casing 82 and can move along the axis Y relative to the casing 82 and the base 52. The casing 82 is specifically attached to the first wall 56 and may have a substantially cylindrical shape. For example, the first opening 66 may at least partially receive the casing 82 and the fastener 72. In the depicted embodiment, the casing 82 is hollow and defines a casing cavity 84. In particular, the casing 82 includes an inner casing surface 89 defining the casing cavity 84.
The coupling assembly 32 further includes a biasing member 86, such as a spring, operatively coupled between the casing 82 and the fastener 72. As such, the biasing member 86 biases the fastener 72 toward the locked position (
With continued reference to
The coupling assembly 32 is then moved toward the tie-down assembly 20 while the fastener 72 is in the unlocked position until the loop 24 is mostly disposed in the base cavity 64. Specifically, the base 52 of the coupling assembly 32 is advanced toward the tie-down assembly 20 until the loop 24 is positioned in the base cavity 64 such that the aperture 26 is substantially aligned with the first section 74 of the fastener 72 as shown in
With reference to
While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A coupling assembly, comprising:
- a hook;
- a base defining a base cavity;
- a link interconnecting the hook and the base;
- a fastener movably coupled to the base such that the fastener is movable relative to the base along an axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, the fastener extends through the base cavity, and, in the unlocked position, the fastener is outside the base cavity;
- a casing fixed to the base such that the base remains stationary relative to the casing, the fastener being partially disposed within the casing; and
- a biasing member operatively coupled between the casing and the fastener such that the biasing member biases the fastener toward the locked position.
2. The coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the casing defines a casing cavity, and the biasing member is disposed in the casing cavity.
3. The coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a coil spring and defines a first member end and a second member end opposite the first member end, the first member end abuts the fastener, and the second member end abuts the casing.
4. The coupling assembly of claim 3, wherein the casing defines an inner casing surface, the inner casing surface defines the casing cavity, and the second member end abuts with the inner casing surface.
5. The coupling assembly of claim 4, wherein the biasing member is disposed around the fastener.
6. The coupling assembly of claim 5, wherein the biasing member is entirely disposed in the casing cavity.
7. The coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the link defines a first link end and a second link end opposite the first link end, the first link end being coupled to the base, and the second link end coupled to the hook.
8. The coupling assembly of claim 7, wherein the hook includes a first prong, a second prong, and a hook base interconnecting the first and second prongs, and the second link end is coupled to the hook base.
9. The coupling assembly of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second prongs defines a hook hole.
10. The coupling assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second prongs are both substantially perpendicular to the hook base.
11. The coupling assembly of claim 7, wherein the link is obliquely angled relative to the hook base.
12. The coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the base includes a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall, the base defines a first opening extending through the first wall, the first opening receiving the casing and the fastener, the base defining a second opening extending through the second wall, the second opening receiving the fastener only when the fastener is in the locked position.
13. The coupling assembly of claim 12, wherein the base includes a third wall extending from the first wall to the second wall, the base defining a third opening extending through the third wall, the third opening leads to the base cavity.
14. The coupling assembly of claim 13, wherein the fastener includes a head disposed outside the casing.
15. A vehicle, comprising:
- a pickup bed including first and second inner sidewalls;
- a tie-down assembly coupled to the at least one of the first and second inner sidewalls, the tie-down assembly including a loop, the loop defining an aperture; and
- a coupling assembly coupled to the tie-down assembly, the coupling assembly including: a hook; a base defining a base cavity; a link interconnecting the hook and the base; a fastener movably coupled to the base such that the fastener is movable relative to the base along an axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, the fastener extends through the base cavity, and, in the unlocked position, the fastener is outside the base cavity; a casing fixed to the base such that the base remains stationary relative to the casing, the fastener being partially disposed within the casing; and a biasing member coupled between the casing and the fastener such that the biasing member biases the fastener toward the locked position; and
- wherein the loop is disposed in the base cavity, and the fastener extends through the aperture when the fastener is in the locked position.
16. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a beam coupled to the hook.
17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the beam defines a recess and the beam is disposed in the recess.
18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the beam is disposed along at least one of the first and second sidewalls when the beam is disposed in the recess.
19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the hook defines a first prong, a second prong, and a hook base interconnecting the first and second prongs, and the hook defines a hook hole extending through at least one of the first and second prongs, the hook hole.
20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the beam includes a coupling mechanism including a pin, and the pin extends through the hook hole in order to secure the beam to the coupling assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 15, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2015
Patent Grant number: 9233721
Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC (Detroit, MI)
Inventor: Kyle J. Kakstis (Macomb, MI)
Application Number: 14/252,875